Does an Apple a day keep
the Autism away?:
The effects of a GlutenFree, Casein Free Diet
Christopher Hague
29th April 2011
Scholarship Sewanee
What is Autism?
• Autism is a developmental
disorder marked by:
– Deficiencies in
communication (eye contact,
language, etc)
– Social interactions (social
isolation, lack of social
awareness and cures)
– Repetitive and self-injurious
actions (self stimulation,
obsession to details, hitting
ones self, etc.)
• Cause: Unknown however
there are many theories.
– Vaccines (unproven)
– Genetics (most promising but
complex)
– Nutritional problems and
vitamin deficiencies
• Cure: unknown, but there
are many homegrown,
traditional remedies as well
as proven therapies such
as diet
What is Gluten and Casein?
• Gluten is a protein found
in mostly in wheat, oats,
and barely
• Casein is a protein found
in dairy products
• Usually these proteins
are properly digested
and absorbed by the
body without adverse
consequences. However,
when they are not, toxic
peptides are released
Digesting the Theory:
The Opiod Excess theory (Dohan, 1966)
Digesting the Theory:
Evidence
• When the specific peptide in question, β-casomorphin-7 (β-CM7),
was injected into rats, autistic behavior was observe but when
taken off they returned to normal (Sun & Cade, 1999).
• Autistic children have a higher probability of having an upper
digestive tract and urinary peptide levels (Panksepp, 1979; Levy,
2007; Knivsberg, Reichel, Hoein, & Nodland, 2002).
• Societies that do not have heavy gluten or casein diets have lower
if non existent cases of autism and ASD (Feingold, 1975 )
• This theory would also explain why a child’s symptoms of ASD
may fluctuate from day to day and even hour to hour depending
on how much or if (s)he consumes certain products
• Learning and Language Disabilities such as those found in Autistic
children can sometimes arise from malnutrition and an inability to
get certain protein found in wheat and dairy products
Putting it to the test
• Adams and Conn (1997): Concluded that when
children were put on the McFarland Diet (a
combination between the GFCF diet and a
megadose vitamin diet) they improved in
–
–
–
–
Verbal communication
Language skills
Eye contact
Motor, verbal, and cognitive tests almost to age
appropriate levels
Unreliable because….
•
•
•
•
•
Based on two case studies
No baseline measures
No control group
No control over education plans or therapy
Improvements were based on parental and
teacher observation so placebo effect
Adding controls…
• Knivsberg et al. (2002) :
– Used a single-blind controlled experiment in
which one group of ten children when on a GFCF
diet while the control group did not
•Both groups showed improvements but the GFCF
group showed significantly greater improvements
especially in
•Aloofness
•Distractibility
•Need for rituals
Still problematic
• Case size still too small as shown by the outliers
who skewed the improvements of the GFCF
group
• Very little change in motor skills and non verbal
skills
• With such sporadic improvements within
groups, the outside therapies could be the real
cause
• High functioning versus low functioning
• Still using parental and teacher observation for
main measure of improvements
Finding a reliable measure…
• Patel and Curtis (2007):
– Measured UPL on a group of children with dual
autistic and ADHD diagnoses.
– Removed all toxins from the environment
including mold, mites, tobacco, and non-organic
cosmetics
– GFCF, organic, natural diet
– Megavitamin doses
Patel and Curtis (2007)
(continued)
• Significant decrease in toxic UPL and toxic
chemicals in urine such as lead, arsenic,
mercury, and aluminum
• Improved behavior, attention, learning skills,
social abilities, aggression, hyperactivity
– Four subjects were able to go to normal
schooling
Still needs digesting…
• Correlation is not causation
– We do not know if the chemicals found in the
urine was the cause of the Autism
•
•
•
•
Which variable cause the change?
Small sample size
No outside therapy control
Dual diagnoses: did it cure the ADHD which
affected the Autism?
The perfect study:
•
•
•
•
•
Double blind study or one with a control group
Large sample size
Control of outside therapy (either by hours or type)
Group of just ADHD kids and kids who receive vitamins
Monitor UPL and use reliable and quantitative pre and
post tests for learning, motor, social, and verbal cues.
• Analogue measures
• Provide the food
• Control for high functioning versus low functioning or
include both
Not the magical cure
• Overall there is currently very little evidence
to suggest A GFCF diet has a significant
• However, a GFCF diet may have healthy side
effects even if it does not cure autism.
Special Thanks
• Yale Child Study Center
• Dr. Volkmar and his autism research program
• Sewanee Psychology department
References
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